Join us in the Pukaki Observatory for a unique dark sky experience under the glittering stars of the southern hemisphere. Enjoy a welcome drink in the wine cellar before your experienced astronomer takes you on a tour of the night sky with a high-powered laser pointer and our pier-mounted telescope. Learn more about the constellations and their mythologies, stars, star clusters, nebulae, planets, the Moon and more. We will also attach a camera to the back of the telescope to show you incredible views of some of the wonders of the cosmos on a big screen.

The Pukaki Observatory is perfectly located to explore one of the darkest, clearest skies in the world. This is a stellar experience and a unique opportunity to stargaze in the world-famous Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.

The experience includes a welcome glass of wine or tot of whisky. It is a shared group session, with a minimum charge of two guests to operate this experience.

Dark Sky Stargazing is available every day for approximately 90mins

Please note, this experience is weather dependent. We will contact you if the weather won’t allow this activity to go ahead, there is an alternative option for a reduced rate that can be offered if you would still like to experience the observatory and learn about the dark sky.